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how is the word cabinet used here?

Hans Christian Andersen

The Emperor's New Suit

Many, many years ago lived an emperor, who thought so much of new clothes that he spent all his money in order to obtain them; his only ambition was to be always well dressed. He did not care for his soldiers, and the theatre did not amuse him; the only thing, in fact, he thought anything of was to drive out and show a new suit of clothes. He had a coat for every hour of the day; and as one would say of a king "He is in his cabinet," so one could say of him, "The emperor is in his dressing-room."

Three questions:

1. When it says the emperor drives out, does it mean he takes out his horse wagon and 'drive out' of his castle to show off his clothes?

2. He had a coat for every hour of the day: now, is this sentence saying that he wore a different coat every hour?

3. "cabinet" - What's the context here? how is this word used? is the word used in a political sense? I didn't think the word cabinet was used in that sense when this story took place.

Re: how is the word cabinet used here?

1. When it says the emperor drives out, does it mean he takes out his horse wagon and 'drive out' of his castle to show off his clothes? He goes out in his carriage - but he will be driven in it.

2. He had a coat for every hour of the day: now, is this sentence saying that he wore a different coat every hour? Yes- he has 24 coats so he could change every hour of the day.

3. "cabinet" - What's the context here? how is this word used? is the word used in a political sense? I didn't think the word cabinet was used in that sense when this story took place. In the old sense of a small, private room - similar to a study.

Re: how is the word cabinet used here?

...
3. "cabinet" - What's the context here? how is this word used? is the word used in a political sense? I didn't think the word cabinet was used in that sense when this story took place.

- HKB

You're right, and so is Anglika. The modern political usage refers to a special small room where the king always consulted his advisers and made decrees; there's no such room in modern politics, but the word lives on.